Rotary microwave antenna system

Abstract

A rotary microwave antenna system suitable for satellite or cellular microwave radio telecommunications features an integrated, low-profile, rotary microwave joint, slip ring and antenna assembly. The rotary antenna system includes a stator (i.e., stationary portion), for attachment to a mobile platform (e.g., an automobile or other vehicle), having a rotary joint coaxial microwave coupler for electrically coupling a microwave transmission line from a microwave telecommunications radio system to a microwave antenna element of an microwave antenna rotatable about an axis relative to the mobile platform. The rotary antenna system also includes a rotor (i.e., rotary portion) for attachment to the microwave antenna. The rotor includes a slip ring circuit (or brushes) for coupling power and low frequency electrical signals to the microwave antenna through contacting brushes (or slip ring) attached to the stator, rotates relative to the stator, and is concentric with the axis of rotation of the microwave antenna. The stator includes a disk having a peripheral edge around its circumference, and the rotor includes an annular ring having an inner edge around a central opening and a peripheral edge around its circumference. The inner edge of the rotor is adjacent to, concentric with, and rotatably coupled to the peripheral edge of the central disk by means of an assembly of ball bearings placed between the two adjacent edges.

We claim: 
     
       1. A rotary microwave antenna system for transmitting and receiving microwave signals, comprising: a stator for attachment to a platform, including a rotating joint coaxial microwave coupler for electrically coupling a microwave signal between a microwave transmission line and a microwave antenna element of a microwave antenna, the microwave antenna also having antenna electronics mounted thereto, the microwave antenna element being rotatable about an axis relative to the stator,   a rotor for attachment to the microwave antenna, including a slip ring circuit for coupling power and low frequency electrical signals to the antenna electronics, the slip ring including an annular disk positioned around the stator and having a plurality of concentric electrical conducting channels electrically connected to the antenna electronics, the rotor being rotatably coupled to the stator so that the rotor rotates relative to the stator and concentric with the axis of rotation of the microwave antenna element, and   a plurality of electrical conducting brushes mounted stationary relative to the platform and adjacent to the concentric electrical conducting channels of the slip ring, each brush in movable electrical contact with the concentric electrical conducting channel adjacent thereto, wherein the electrical conducting brushes are electrically connected to power and low frequency electrical signal sources for supplying said power and said low frequency electrical signals to the antenna electronics through the electrical conducting brushes and their adjacent concentric electrical conducting channel.   
     
     
       2. The system of claim 1, wherein the rotary joint coaxial microwave coupler comprises a center conductor rotatable about the axis of rotation of the microwave antenna element relative to the stator and mechanically and electrically connected to the microwave antenna element, and a transmission line connector mounted to the stator, wherein the center conductor is electrically coupled to the transmission line connector for transferring microwave energy between the transmission line and the microwave antenna element.   
     
     
       3. The system of claim 2, wherein the stator comprises a central disk having a peripheral edge around a circumference thereof, and the rotor comprises an annular ring having an inner edge around a central opening thereof and a peripheral edge around a circumference thereof, and the inner edge of the annular ring is adjacent to, concentric with, and rotatably coupled to the peripheral edge of the central disk by means of an assembly of ball bearings placed between the inner edge of the annular ring and the peripheral edge of the central disk.   
     
     
       4. The system of claim 3, wherein the peripheral edge of the annular ring comprises a surface for coupling to a drive motor for rotating the rotor relative to the stator.   
     
     
       5. The system of claim 4 wherein the surface of the peripheral edge of the annular ring comprises gear teeth for coupling to a motor driven drive gear. 
     
     
       6. The system of claim 4 wherein the surface of the peripheral edge of the annular ring comprises a friction surface for fictionally coupling to a drive motor. 
     
     
       7. The system of claim 3, wherein the rotor comprises an antenna pedestal for mounting the microwave antenna to the rotor. 
     
     
       8. The system of claim 3, wherein the stator central disk and the rotor annular ring are substantially the same thickness. 
     
     
       9. The system of claim 3, wherein the rotor is rotatably coupled to the stator by ball bearings. 
     
     
       10. A rotary microwave antenna system for transmitting and receiving microwave signals, comprising: a stator for attachment to a platform, including a rotary joint coaxial microwave coupler for electrically coupling a microwave signal between a microwave transmission line and a microwave antenna element of a microwave antenna, the microwave antenna also having antenna electronics mounted thereto, the microwave antenna element being rotatable about an axis relative to the stator, and a slip ring circuit for coupling power and low frequency electrical signals to the antenna electronics, the slip ring having an annular disk positioned concentric with the microwave antenna element axis of rotation and having a plurality of concentric electrical conducting channels mounted upon a first surface of the annular disk, the concentric electrical conducting channels being electrically connected to power and low frequency electrical signal sources for supplying said power and said low frequency electrical signals to the antenna electronics, and   a rotor for attachment to the microwave antenna, including a plurality of electrical conducting brushes electrically connected to the antenna electronics and mounted stationary relative to the rotor and adjacent to the concentric electrical conducting channels of the slip ring, each brush in movable electrical contact with the concentric electrical conducting channel adjacent thereto, the rotor being rotatably coupled to the stator so that the rotor rotates relative to the stator and concentric with the axis of rotation of the microwave antenna, wherein said power and said low frequency electrical signals are coupled to the antenna electronics through the concentric electrical conducting channels and their adjacent electrical conducting brush.   
     
     
       11. The system of claim 10, wherein the rotary joint coaxial microwave coupler comprises a center conductor rotatable about the axis of rotation of the microwave antenna relative to the platform and mechanically and electrically connected to the microwave antenna element, and a transmission line connector mounted to the stator, wherein the center conductor is electrically coupled to the transmission line connector for transferring microwave energy between the transmission line and the microwave antenna element.   
     
     
       12. The system of claim 11, wherein the stator comprises a central disk having a peripheral edge around a circumference thereof, and the rotor comprises an annular ring having an inner edge around a central opening thereof and a peripheral edge around a circumference thereof, and the inner edge of the annular ring is adjacent to, concentric with, and rotatably coupled to the peripheral edge of the central disk by means of an assembly of ball bearings placed between the inner edge of the annular ring and the peripheral edge of the central disk.   
     
     
       13. The system of claim 12, wherein the annular ring of the rotor comprises a raised portion of a disk surface, and the central disk of the stator is disposed adjacent to the disk surface of the annular ring.   
     
     
       14. The system of claim 12, wherein the microwave antenna comprises flat plate microwave antenna, and the rotor comprises a platform for mounting the microwave antenna to the rotor. 
     
     
       15. The system of claim 12, wherein the central disk of the stator and the rotor annular ring are substantially the same thickness. 
     
     
       16. The system of claim 12, wherein the rotor is rotatably coupled to the stator by ball bearings.